Remote control apparatus for starting internal-combustion engines



Jan. 23, 1945. F. P. PARFITT 2,367,960

REMOTE CQNTROL APPARATUS FOR STARTING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 19, 1945 a alum;

Patented Jan. 23, 1945 2,367,960 REMOTE CONTROL STARTING INTERNA GINES Frank Peter Parfltt, Hy land, assignor to The APPARATUS FOR L-COMBUSTION EN- the, Southampton, Eng- British Power Boat Company Limited, Hythe, Southampton, England, a company of Great Britain Application November 19, 1943, Serial No. 510,998

In Great Britain March 18, 1942- ignition coil and in circuit through a pair of Claims.

This invention relates to remote control apparatus of the kind which are adapted to effect from a distance a succession of controlling operations upon a mechanism and is particularly applicable for starting and stopping an internalcombustion engine and thus can be used for example for controlling a mobile unit such as a target ship.

According to this invention, a remote control apparatus located on the mobile unit comprises two distinct electrically energised mechanisms, two independent electric circuits, each containing one of said mechanisms, a delay action device in one of said circuits, at source of electrical energy, switch mechanism operated so as to place said source of energy in circuit with both said circuits simultaneously when a signal is being received and which delay action device is arranged to interrupt the circuit after a pre-determined time interval. For example, in applying the invention to a remote control system for starting and stopping an internal combustion engine, the aforesaid distinct electrically energised mechanisms comprise an ignition coil and a starter motor, which latter mechanism is arranged in the circuit provided with a delay action device, while the former mechanism is arranged in the other circuit and remains energised so long as a signal is being received.

Means may be provided for conditioning said delay action device when the signal is not being received so that it is ready for operation when a signal is received. For example, the delay action device may comprise a thermionic valve operating in the manner set out in British Patent Specification No. 13,884/41 and having its output circuit arranged to control a switch in circuit with the starter motor control circuit, the oathode heater of which valve is arranged to be brought into circuit with a source of supply when a signal is not being received and is cut out of circuit when the signal is being received. With this arrangement the delay action is provided by the cooling of the cathode.

In one arrangement according to this invention the receiver is arranged to control a twoway switch, one set of contacts of the switch being arranged in the circuit of the heater of the delay action device and a second set of contacts being arranged in the starter motor circuit so,

that when one circuit is closed the other is open and Vice versa.

The second set of contacts may be arranged in circuit with a relay arranged to place a source of low tension supply both in circuit with the contacts with the motor control circuit, which latter pair of contacts is controlled by another relay in the output circuit of the delay action valve, whereby those contacts are opened after a predetermined time.

The following is a description of the invention as applied to wireless remote control of a motor starter for a motor-boat, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus at the transmitting stage and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the various circuits at the receiving state, for example on the target boat driven by the internal combustion engine the starting and stopping of which is to be controlled.

The control of the boat engine may be obtained at the transmitting station by means of pushbutton switches 9, ill, I l and I2, associated with a switch-box l3, and which operate to start and stop a carrier wave of a transmitter l4, and to control the steering of the ship and the engine throttle in the manner described in the specification of British application No. 3,630/42. The

transmitter can take the form of either a selfexcited oscillator of the push-pull variety when it is desired to control the craft by means of very high frequency waves, or alternatively, an electron-coupled oscillator may be arranged to control a power amplifier for greater output when medium high frequency waves are used to obtain long range operations. For example, complete control up to eight miles can be obtained when using the latter range of frequencies with an input of to watts. The aforesaid switch-box having the push-button switches, is arranged to be held in one hand, and in addition to the pushbutton switches I0, II and I2, for controlling the helm and engine throttle, as described in the above-mentioned specification, also contains a carrier-wave switch 9, which latter breaks the high-tension supply for stopping the transmission. The high-tension supply for the transmitter can be taken from a rotary converter l5 operated by a storage battery It or by a vibrator unit, taking its supply from a similar source.

The aerial system of the transmitter for very high frequencies may take the form of a vertical di-pole with a suitable feeder system (not shown) but for medium high-frequency transmission a vertical rod ll of twenty-foot length or more, is found to give ample radiation for an input of ten watts to enable control at a distance of four miles, and over, to be effected.

The receiver for very high-frequency transmission may be of the superheterodyne type with double-frequency changing.- The oscillator or the first frequency changer is provided with a crystal control for an intermediate frequency or medium high-frequency, while the second intermediate frequency would be oi. medium frequency, say, 455 has. per second, two stages or which would normally be necessary (or adequate gain and automatic volume control. The receiver serial for very high frequencies may comprise a vertical di-pole (not shown) mounted on the fore-peak oi the boat with a coaxial ieeder extending to the receiver. The drawing shows a receiver tor medium-frequency transmissions in which case a single frequency changer ll only is required with two stages I! or intermediate frequency amplification of 455 kcs. per second.

The aerial may be a vertical rod 20 for exampie feet in length.

The receiver is provided with a diode detector 2|, and associated with the diode detector is a pentode valve 22 oi high mutual conductance having a control relay 2! in the anode circuit 24 and having its control grid 25 subjected to the radioirequency from the diode oi the receiver, in such manner that the relay 2! is energized so long as no carrier-wave is being received by the receiver. The screen grid 28 oi the pentode has its potential adjusted by means of a variable resistance 21 to allow just sufllcient anode current to flow through the winding oi. the relay 23 to energise it and maintain one pair 28 of two pairs of contacts open when no signal is being received, while a second pair of contacts 29 is maintained closed. The control grid of the valve is connected with a suitable decoupling circuit with the diode load resistor 01' the radio receiver, and thus when a carrier wave of sutlicient strength is being received a negative potential would be passed on to the grid suiiicient to cause the anode current to cease flowing through the coil of relay 23 thereby closing the first pair of contacts 28 and opening the contacts 28.

The first pair of contacts 28 are arranged to place a main relay 32 connected to the negative side or the low-tension supply battery 1 in circuit with a pair of contacts 33 which establish a circuit with the positive side 01 said battery. The contacts 3! are maintained closed by a relay 3 in circuit withthe high tension supply to the receiver; thus, so long as the receiver is switched on and operable, the contacts 33 are maintained closed. When the receiver is receiving a signal the contacts 28 are closed, the main relay 32 is energised, and the contacts 3i are thereby closed. These contacts 3| serve to place the engine ignition coil 35 in circuit with the low tension source of supply I. The contacts 3! also connect one o! the contacts 36 with the positive side of the low tension supply, the other contact being connected to the negative side through a relay coil 42 for operating a switch fl for the starting motor 45. When a signal is not being received by the receiver, the contacts 29 are closed, which places the heater 39 o! the delay action valve 38 in circuit with the low tension supply. Emission from the cathode 42 will take place and the relay I which is in the plate circuit 31 of the delay action valve 38 is energised to close the contacts I. When a signal is being received, and the contacts 29 are opened and the contacts 28 are closed, emission will continue to take place, until the cathode 43 cools down owing to deenergination of the heater I9, and thus, the contacts I. will remain closed. As indicated above, the

contacts ll are also closed, and thus a circuit will be established from the positive side of the low tension supply I through the contacts II and the starting motor relay 42 back to the negative side, thereby connecting the starting motor ll to the battery I. The starting motor I! will commence to turn and will remain so turning until the emission of the delay action valve II is insufflcient to energise the delay action relay ll and keep its contacts 35 closed. On the other hand, it in the meantime the engine is started by the motor 45, a known form of vacuum-operated switch 08 connected to the engine induction pipe is arranged to cut the starting motor relay l2 out of circuit. The various circuits are such that should the wireless carrier wave cease, the first pair 01' contacts 28 in the control relay 23 would open and the other pair of contacts 29 close. When the first pair of contacts 28 open, the aforesaid main relay 32 becomes de-energised, its contacts ll open and the supply of energy to the ignition coil 35 ceases, and should the engine have been running it now stops. Aiter approximately 15 seconds the anode current in the delay action valve 35 will be sufllcient to operate the delay action relay 4i and close its contacts ll. Under these conditions, should the carrier wave be transmitted again, the control relay 22 becomes re-energized, so the first pair or contacts 28 closes and the second pair 28 opens and the cycle commences again.

I claim:

1. A remote control apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising a mag netic relay device adapted to be energised by an incoming signal, a starter motor control circuit and an ignition circuit, each having switch contacts controlled by said relay device so as to connect said circuits with a source of supply, another set of switch contacts in the starter motor control circuit, a time delay action device controlling said latter switch contacts and rendered operative by the relay device so as to open the latter contacts at a predetermined time after a.

signal is received.

2. A remote control apparatus Ior starting an internal combustion engine, comprising an ignition circuit embodying main control contacts, a source of low tension supply and an ignition coil, a starter control circuit embodying said main control contacts, delay action contacts, said low tension supply and a starter motor switch, a time delay action device controlling the circuit through said latter contacts, an instantaneouslyopeiating magnetic relay adapted to be influenced by an incoming signal and to close said main contacts and also to render the delay action device operable for opening its contacts after a predetermined time, and which instantaneousiy-operating relay is arranged when not under the influence of said signal to condition the time delay action device ready for its next operation.

3. A remote control apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine comprising a main instantaneously-operating relay device adapted to be energised by an incoming signal, a starter motor control circuit and an ignition circuit, each having switch contacts controlled by said relay device so as to connect said circuits with a source of supply, another set of switch contacts in the starter motor circuit, a magnetic relay controlling said switch contacts, a therrnionic valve circuit having the-actuating coil of said latter magnetic relay in its output circuit, and having a cathode heater and means under the control of the instantaneously-operating relay device for bringing said heater into circuit with a source of supply when a signal is not being received, and for cutting it out of the circuit when the signal is being received.

4. A remote control apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising an ignition circuit embodying main control contacts, a source of low tension supply and an ignition. coil, a starter control circuit embodying said main control contacts, delay action contacts, said low tension supply and a starter motor switch, a thermionic valve, a magnetic relay in the output of said valve controlling the delay action contacts, an instantaneously-opcrating relay controlling the heater circuit. of the thermionic valve and also controlling said main control contacts so that upon receipt of a signal the main contacts are closed and the heater circuit of the thermionic valve is interrupted, whereby the delay action contacts are opened after a predetermined time.

5. A remote control apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising an ignition circuit embodying main control contacts, a source of low tension supply and an ignition coil, a starter control circuit embodying said main control contacts, delay action contacts, said low tension supply and a starter motor switch having a cathode heater circuit, a thermionic valve, a magnetic relay in the output of said valve controlling the delay action contacts, a thermionic valve having an input circuit adapted to be influenced by an incoming signal and having a magnetic relay in the output circuit thereof, adapted to close the main contacts, and to disconnect the heater circuit of said first mentioned thermionic valve, whereby the delay-action contacts are opened after a predetermined time.

FRANK PETER PARFI'IT. 

